With Every Last Ounce Of My Breath
by Lavenderpaw
Summary: Memory comes to her like pieces to a puzzle but nothing ever fits right enough to make anything vivid to her.Until one night Chihro recieves a visiter who may be just help her rekindle her past,so she can fight for an even more dangerous future.Oneshot.


**A/N/Disclaimer:**I'm a fan of the movie but also a veteran writer.Hope you enjoy this!I own nothing.

_Five years after the experience_...

All around her the room was in settled hush.Angular,deep hued shadows stretched up against the sides of the room as the moon shone through,casting a delicate grace of a ivory trail in it's wake.Chihro slept under the warmth of her covers,only a night gown draped her slendor frame of a body and it had taken a while for the sheets to not feel so cool on her legs and arms.Now content,she dowsed in and out of a dream-filled slumber.The strange images she saw and could sometimes vividly remember came in and out in a reflux.Nights were a time to try to recall her adventures back when she was a mere young girl.

Chihro could recall on small scenes of the spirit world at a time,if she tried too hard or during the day when she had normal life to attempt to,she would get a splitting headache or forget what she had been doing altogether.Sometimes she forgot things and after adjusting to those disadvantages,Chihro had started to remember Haku again when she was eleven-years-old on her birthday.But aside from the framents of scattered memory she recalled at random during the night,she could hardly remember him.

Only on one day,her birthday.Every year Haku's memory would surface when she blew out the candles.So far,she recalled he had somehow saved her and he had a kind smile.But not too many sorts of specfics to fall back on.The truth of the matter was,she ususally forgot everything else.Besides those two bits of infomation and a slight memory involving scrubing floors,Chihro remembered nothing else.It was strange sometimes,but every memory came just as fast as it went.That was just the way it'd been.

A soft creeking outside her window,the roofing panels of eaves being pressed down upon reached the teenager's ears.But she merely ignored it and buried her face deeper into her pillow.Not a single sound was made for a few minutes after that and then she heard a similar sound but this one was quickly and almost dutifully accompained by muffled squeaks from the window.Chihro swallowed hard and tried to focus her mind away from the rapid fire noises but finally a more imploring noise caused her to sit erect.

_Who in the world_...?She thought in bewilderment,squaring her eyes to the large dark glass.

Aside from the huge tree in her back yard waving it's leaves around in the strong wind,she could make out nothing.Chihro was about to return to sleep,when the sound came once more and with a loud groan of fustration,she sprang out of bed and dashed over to the window.Clasping her hand on the lock,she yanked it to the side and bringing up the window,stuck her head far out and glanced in either direction.

Suddenly,a drafty current shot up her mid-back length of brunette hair.With her tan skin starting to tingle and her eyes feeling watery,Chihro backed up inside but so quickly that the back of her head slammed into the top.Stifling a howl of pain,the girl massaged her scalp fierecely with one hand and shut the window closed with the other.What idiot'd be able to make such a climb up without use of a ladder?

As if on cue,Chihro recieved her awnser in the form of the pattering of footsteps moving across the top of her room.Weighing her options of going back to bed or finding out who exactly would risk it all to make such a daring feet as to scale up her window,Chihro sighed calmingly and sprinted out into the hall.Her trackstar image instantly fused with her long,deft strides and she was able to easily keep up with the stranger's run,in fact,it was to the point that they nearly matched;two people running together as one.

Descending the stairs two at a time,she managed to reach the landing with a long-legged leap but just as suddenly as her burst of energy had fired up,it burned out.Now here she stood at least ten or so feet to the front door and a small,if not rare streak of fear that was sent through Chihro was that the rushing of feet had continued on further toward the very end.It didn't so much bother her her fear,then it did her lack of knowledge.Finally resolving to at least have a look,she braced herself and proceeded boldly forward.

But wasn't that fear was,the unknown?"

The carpet pushed up under her bare feet as she placed her hands onto the wooden frame of the entry way and leaned to the eye hole in the center of the door.Nothing but darkness appraised her sight and she drew back ponderingly.Had it been a person at all?Perhaps maybe it was just her mind and the wild wind coalescing into one to make her delirious.With that possible explaination,she turned to walk away.

But a feeling of utter need hindered her in place and caused her,almost it seemed to force her to re-think about leaving to go back upstairs.Chihro didn't know what the feeling was but she knew she knew that she had only felt this way one other time in her life and then it hit her...someone was waiting for Chihro.

As the craving sank in and overwhelmed her by it's great magnetism,the young girl whirled on her heel quickly and nearly running into the door,frantically worked to unlock the few bolts sealing her from the outside world.Once the cold air blasted against her,she nearly came back in but the near burningness in her was so compelling she simply dismissed it altogether and ran out into the cloudless,early winter night.

The fallen shadows of night encompassed around her,shielding her from any gawking neighbours on the small road where they lived.Chihro felt shivers run up her spine and her hair flying everywhere as she cut through her yard and out onto the sidewalk.Once there,her mind came up a blank on what to do and she started to search up and down the street.But aside from the street lights,the road was dark and deserted.

But she had to find out why she felt this way,what this at first coaxing and then later demanding yearning had orginated from.Hearing a snapping of a twig near the large tree in her yard,Chihro spun around and looked up into the trees.The shrouded expansion of branches were only partially lit by the nearby pole of electric light splaying down near her.Still,she saw just the upper body of a figure.The person was looking straight at her and only when she had spotted him,did hop down into the yard and stand there stock still.

Chihro felt a welling up of trepidity punucture her heart and she got into a ready stance so she could try to ward off the person if need be but he merely stared at her,his face not registering familiarity in the ebony occult.Finally,he made a motion to her and headed off in at a surprisingly breakneck burst of energy for her backyard.Without thinking,Chihro gave chase behind him and yet was halted by the chain link fence.

The person,who she guessed was male,had merely bounded over it and was on his way.Chihro clumsily scrambled up and over but the fringing on the end of her night gown was caught.Releasing a startled gasp as she was propelled back up against the fence with a clank,Chihro was in such a rushed state of mind that she ripped the fabric and thusly freed herself.Panicking,she ran to the far side of the yard to see the person resting on bent legs and arms laying on knees atop the fence but he stood up as she approached.

Forever it seemed they remained that way,Chihro tried to hard to see him despite the fact that she was still a bundle of nerves and that the night consisted of only a lowly crescent moon to faintly light the jade earth.But she tried,nonetheless.Somehow Chihro knew this person was a key to her past and it was to the point where she couldn't take all the confusion any longer.Suddenly though,the person looked away in the other direction,back at her with one last glance and then posed down in a near fleeting position.

"No!"Chihro shouted defiantly,her eyes clipping on him and her legs springing to life as she bolted to him and caught him by the wrist just as he was nearly gone."No,I won't let you go."she told him firmly,holding on tightly and pulling back.However,he was strong enough to keep her from dragging him back entirely.

She suddenly heard ragged panting."I debated forever about coming here,"a museful,male voice told her slowly,still allowing her to hold onto him."Though,I didn't want to unless absolutely necessary and then I considered fighting it alone then.But it finally got to the point where I or no one could handle it anymore."

"What?"Her tone reflected pure curiousty,he was leading up to something and she hoped it was about a past she had long ago forgotten."What do you mean you or no one could handle it?What do you mean?"

He turned to look at her unsurely and for the first time she could somehow see a glimpse of his eyes,they displayed courage but also weakeness in their golden-brown depths.There was something about the way he looked at her,like he had mixed feelings about her and was in inner conflict about something serious.

"Destiny may call at your door,Chihro,"The young man who appeared to be in his late teens looked very hard into her eyes but only looked disappointed."You don't remember enough to do anything about it but if it does happen I will be back."he leaned closer until they were nearly face-to-face."I promise,I will be."

Chihro was entranced,she was oblivious now to the fact that she was inadequately dressed and that she had school in the morning in which she needed to be well rested for a test.Somehow,in less then an hour this stranger had become the center of her universe.Now,they were inches apart and closing in.She could feel her heart thumping against her chest and her knees go weak as his lips softly brushed over hers.The longing she felt was unstoppable and as he moved back,Chihro locked her lips onto his in desperation.

She had to see him,feel him,even taste him in order to have her memory restored.Chihro had seen him a long while ago and the achingness crippling her soul instantly diminshed as realisation flooded back to her in a flash of images.Yubaba...Lin...Kamajii...Haku.Great,alleviating happiness swept through Chihro and she nearly threw herself into Haku's arms,when he placed his fingers to her forehead to prevent her,the look he gave her was absolutely critical and she didn't dare try to look away,she knew she had to look.

"Chihro,"his voice was sober."You need to watch yourself and keep away from the tunnel you entered when you first went to the spirit world.Whatever happens."he appeared suddenly pained."Don't let your guard down until I and if I return to tell you everything is well..."Haku averted his gaze."Which it's not."

She reached out to touch his cheek,to which he looked back to her a bit stunned."Haku,"her beginning words were uncertain,withdrawing her hand."Whatever it is you're going up against,I'll help you with it."

Haku shook his head as if he anticpated her stating this."It's even more risky now then it was back then to allow a human to enter the spirit world.Back then it was very dangerous,now it would be suicide."

"I handled it before,"Chihro reminded him,a bit too hopeful perhaps."I'm stronger then what I once was."

The young man nodded at that,a hint of a smile playing across his features."Don't think I haven't noticed."

"Then why not now?"She pressed on insistently,fighting the urge to blush."What's the threat?Yubaba?"

Instantly,Hako clasp his hand over her mouth and peered around vigilantly."That name has been severely forbidden to speak of."he explained calmly,moving his eyes on her."She has no more control over me."

"Then who does?"Chihro asked quickly,prying his hand away and gazed up at him searchingly.Haku was being very unspecfic about what was going on and it was tearing her up inside with bounding curiousty.

This time he took hold of her hand and in closed it with his other one."Are you alright?"

"I'm fine."She replied back evasively but Haku unbiddenly placed his hands up on her shoulders.

His eyes took on their familiar concern for her."Chihro,your freezing up."he spoke matter-of-factly and slidding off the robe he was wearing,draped it over her before she could complain.Luckily the wind had died down but with it only seemed to strengthen the frigidness of the air.Chihro felt stubborn yet unable to express all she felt for him.How could she after five years?But Haku had been her first and only love.

He gave her one last lingering look and jumped down onto the other side of the fence,where the ground slanted far down through thicket and trees.That's when the cold that had incased her body sank into her and she clutched Haku's gift tighter around her shoulders.Her messy hair fell across her frozen face and her breathing started to hurt a bit in her lungs.Fighting off shivers but not tears,Chihro beseeched to him.

"Will I ever see you again?"

Haku paused and his shoulders lost some of their superior hold,as he bowed his head in thought.Chihro knew the awnser was unclear and whatever was going to happen,if it was meant to,would happen.But what of their past triumphants?What of their even further past?What of their friends?And what of them?

"If I can,I will,"His reply was brutally honest."There is no gurantee that you would match up against the new forces but if need be,I will do everything in my power to in sure your safety.Until then,keep sharp."

Chihro couldn't contain her emotions,couldn't surpress her heart."Haku."she hit the fence."I love you."

She wasn't sure if he heard her or not,for as soon as she spoke it he was already picking up his pace and within seconds was nothing but another figure among the abyss of shadows.As shuddering sobs escaped her and caused her wind wracked body to be slightly pained at her ribcages,Chihro pressed her lips shut and raced for the house.Once inside,she slid the door to the side hard;falling to the floor with warm tears streaming down her cheeks.But she didn't break down and it surprised her,the girl hadn't cried in years.

"_I love you with every last once of my breath_."

Chihro gasped in surpise.It was as if it had been an actual sentence that had entered her mind and after a few minutes to think it over,she found herself chuckling a bit and hugging her arms to her,laid her tired back upon the sliding wooden door decorated with pink flowers and reveled in her sustained conviction.

"Whatever happens,"She said to herself resolutely before nodding off."I'll too use every last ounce of my breath."her words fell with her state of languishment and she entered sleep,clutching Haku's robe close.

The End.


End file.
